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Frida Kahlo Psychology

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Frida Kahlo: Pain and Passion

Psychological Analysis of Frida Kahlo

Frida’s emotional and physical state was impacted by many tragic and difficult events in her life. These tragic events lead to her obsessive tendencies and neurotic behaviors. She struggled most of her life with physical and emotional pain. Her artwork was her therapeutic outlet and illustrates her pain and tragic life.
The first traumatic event in Frida’s life occurred as an infant when her mother was not able to bond with her through nursing. Her mother was not physically able to nurse her since she had her other daughter 11 months later. Frida was then nursed by a wet nurse. Frida also lost her wet nurse as well after as she was found drinking alcohol and was fired. As …show more content…

She suffers from this serious illness. But was left with some physical impairments. Her father nursed her back to health and this strengthens her strong bond with her father. Because she received the attention that made her feel loved it is believed that she exaggerated her symptoms for attention. This may have lead to Frida association of medical illness and others caring for her. She received great attention when she suffered illness. This was a pattern that repeated itself and may have lead to her Munchausen’s syndrome”, a psychosomatic disorder in which patients develop symptoms and seek unnecessary surgery as an attention-getting …show more content…

Frida was so seriously injured in the accident that she thought she was going to die. Her boyfriend Alejandro pulled her from the wreckage and he pleaded with the doctors to take her. She experienced the trauma of surviving such a serious bus accident and then enduring the physical pain of her ravaged body. Her injuries were great. Her spinal column was broken, her pelvis, collarbone, ribs, and leg were all broken. She reported that the steel handrail entered her hip and came out her vagina. She may have overdramatized the wound the same way that she exaggerated her sufferings from polio but it is likely that she associated pain with sex as a result of the memory of this injury.
As a result of the bus accident, Frida was bedridden for one month and placed in a cast. The mental agony of her body not working and the extreme pain and isolation had a traumatic effect on Frida at the age of 19. She also lost her boyfriend during her recovery. Friends describe Frida as changed after this injury. Some said that she became a mature woman and others stated that it was a rebirth for Frida. This accident had a profound effect on her physical and emotional state. During this time Frida began to paint and share her pain and struggles through her

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